Captain's Log

St Katharine Docks Hosts Start of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race

St Katharine Docks Hosts Start of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race

St Katharine Docks is to host the fleet of 12 yachts and 650 crew of the 2015-16 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race. At 40,000 miles, it is the worlds longest, visiting 16 ports in six continents.

This will be the tenth edition of the biennial event, conceived by legendary yachtsman Sir Robin Knox-Johnston. Sir Robin became the first person to sail solo non-stop around the world in 1968-69 and established the Clipper Race in 1996 to offer amateurs of all ages, from all walks of life the opportunity to experience the thrill of ocean racing and a circumnavigation of the planet. Sir Robin also worked here, at St Katharine Docks, as Harbourmaster early in his career.

The fleet will be hosted in a race village at St Katharine Docks, central Londons only marina, from 22 August. The boats will begin their global journey on the Thames in front of Tower Bridge on 30 August, and are expected to return in July 2016.

St Katharine Docks provides a unique and stunning setting for the spectacular yachts, and our store is perfectly located at the centre of the event in Ivory House. In addition to offering our large range of boating and outdoor leisure clothing, traditional brass instruments, model ships, and collectables, we have a number of exciting additions and special offers this weekend only.

179W  A remarkable story of survival during the last Clipper Round the World Yacht RaceAndrew Taylor took part in the last Clipper Round the World Yacht Race in 2013-14. He fell overboard in one of the most remote parts of the Pacific Ocean and spent 100 long, cold, terrifying minutes in the water relying on his training and equipment for survival until he could be rescued.

Andrew has written a book, 179W - One Seven Nine West about this incident and his experiences during the race. It is available from our store with all proceeds going to his charities. He will also be in-store from 10:30-11:30 on Friday 28, Saturday 29, and Sunday 30 August to talk to visitors about his adventure  an absolute must for all departing Clipper Race crews!

Jubilee Sailing Trust
As our chosen charity for 2015-16, were delighted that the Jubilee Sailing Trust will have one of their tall ships moored nearby this weekend, offering a very rare opportunity for visitors to understand their mission to promote the integration of people of all physical abilities through the challenge and adventure of tall ship sailing. They would like to welcome you aboard Lord Nelson - one of only two tall ships in the world purpose-built to enable people of all physical and sensory abilities to take an active role in sailing.

Visit Lord Nelson at West India Docks 10am-12pm and 2-4pm on 28 and 29 August. This is free of charge, so dont miss the chance to find out how these extraordinary vessels have been built to cater for people of all abilities, and the difference they can make to peoples lives. If you would like to make a donation, you can do so in-store or online here  well pass it straight on. For more information, please visit www.jst.org.uk.

Learn more about Londons Historic St Katharine DocksIn their heyday, in the early 1800s, the docks would have been bustling with vessels unloading luxury cargo from around the world, including ivory, tortoise shells, perfumes, herbs and spices, into these warehouses.

During your visit, we recommend spending a little time exploring the historic Docks. As a guide, local historian Christopher West has written a book entitled The Story of St Katharine's about this fascinating place, and it's available from Nauticalia in Ivory House. For more information, please visit www.thestoryofstkatharines.com.